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There are two primary reasons for purchasing classics printed as part of a series. One is that since they’re classics, they are out of copyright and therefore cheaper to print and cheaper to buy. Classics printed as part of, say, the Barnes and Noble Classic Series are bound well, with decent-quality paper and accurate text. And there’s nothing at all wrong with reading them separately or as part of a classics series, if you want to go out and purchase all the works of someone.
But the other reason to purchase classics series is the way they look. Everyone loves the warm oak and leather tones of the movie-set manor library – the fireplace, the high ceiling, the comfy chairs, and rows and rows of matching leatherbound spines. But no true book lover would buy a book just for its spine!
That’s where premium literary classics series publishers come in. When you buy a classic book from these folks, you’re buying the quality workmanship as much as you’re buying the text in the book. When you’re selecting a series, make sure you have acid-free paper, that the binding is stitched and not glued, and that you can easily open the pages anywhere in the book without having a serious “fan” effect. These books are well-bound, and acid-free paper will last for years without yellowing.
There are two other things you should consider before starting to buy books from a literary classics series. First, are these the sorts of books you’ll actually read? It is shameful to buy a book and then just set it on a shelf because it looks good; you should read the books you buy, or have enough interest in them that you’ll read them eventually. And second, do they actually go with the décor in your library? Most of them will, but you should be certain.
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